Julie Clark
Updated:
Old Fashioned Potato Bread with Leftover Mashed Potatoes
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Potato bread is a soft, fluffy white sandwich loaf made with mashed potatoes worked into the dough. The potatoes add moisture to the tender crumb, so the loaf stays soft for days. And it slices clean for sandwiches and toast.
This is my grandma’s old fashioned recipe. I’ve baked this bread too many times to count. I often make it after holidays when there are plenty of leftover mashed potatoes.
Try our easy milk bread recipe, too.
What’s the secret to fluffy potato bread?
The secret is mashed potatoes. Potato starch holds onto moisture and softens the crumb. This helps the potato bread stay softer than traditional sandwich bread. It also rises a little higher!
All it takes is ½ cup of mashed potatoes.
What ingredients are in potato bread?
Potato bread uses simple pantry staples: milk, sugar, egg, salt, butter, yeast, flour…and of course mashed potatoes.
- Use bread flour in this recipe. It just makes the bread a little sturdier and gives it a bit of a chewy texture. If you’re looking for the ultimate in softness, stick with all-purpose flour.
- I’ve used straight up mashed potatoes, and also mashed potatoes that had butter and milk added. Both worked. A quicker option is instant potatoes. The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are Russet potatoes.
- I recommend Instant Yeast. It works perfectly and has never let me down. If you’ve never worked with yeast, read our guide to baking with yeast.
Potato Bread Dough
Just as with our cinnamon rolls, homemade dinner rolls and buttermilk bread, it’s easy to mix dough in the stand mixer (or when I’m really lazy, the bread machine).
Do you need a stand mixer to make this bread? No. You can just as easily mix the ingredients by hand, then knead by hand for 6-8 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
If you’re kneading the bread by hand, I always warn not to add too much flour. The dough should be slightly sticky so that the bread does not turn out dry.
A trick for making bread dough rise faster.
Many people want to know how to make dough rise faster.
Turn the oven to the lowest temperature and allow it to heat for 1-2 minutes. Then turn the oven off and place the covered bowl with the dough inside on the oven rack and close the door. Allow the dough to rise in the warm oven. Remember to turn off the oven so the dough doesn’t bake!
How do you get a golden brown crust on bread?
This mashed potato bread recipe has the most beautiful shiny golden brown top. I put together a resource detailing all of the different bread washes so you can achieve the look you want.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this homemade potato bread…it’s one of the best bread recipes. Here are a few of our favorite ways to serve it:
- Make toast, spread with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Or, brush freshly baked slices of this bread with our cinnamon butter.
- Serve as the base for egg salad sandwiches or tuna melts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use instant potato flakes instead of real mashed potatoes?
Yes. If you don’t have leftover mashed potatoes, make a small batch of instant potato flakes. Use half a cup of cooled potatoes. Prepare the flakes on the thicker side so you don’t add extra liquid to the dough.
Can I make this potato bread in a bread machine?
Yes. Add the ingredients in the order your machine recommends and set to the dough cycle. Once the dough has risen, shape it into two loaves, let them rise in the pans, and bake at 350°F. It’s so easy!
Can I use leftover mashed potatoes that already have butter and milk in them?
Yes, and that’s how I usually make it. Plain mashed potatoes and seasoned mashed potatoes both work. Just avoid any that are very loose or watery so the dough doesn’t end up too sticky.
Can you freeze potato bread?
Yes. Cool the loaves completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or slice before freezing so you can pull out what you need for toast.
Soft & Fluffy Mashed Potato Bread
My grandma's potato bread turns out soft and fluffy every time. Use leftover mashed potatoes, follow my tested tips, and skip the dense-loaf mistakes.
Servings 20
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Rise Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup warm water (110-115ºF)
- 1 cup 2% milk warmed to 110-115ºF
- 1 package instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mashed potatoes
- 1/4 cup salted butter melted
- 4 cups bread flour
Instructions
- Pour the warm water and milk (about 110-115 degrees F) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquids. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes until it is slightly frothy. ¼ cup warm water (110-115ºF), 1 cup 2% milk, 1 package instant yeast
- Add the sugar, egg, salt, potatoes, butter and flour. Use the paddle attachment to mix the ingredients just until combined. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes. ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ cup mashed potatoes, ¼ cup salted butter, 4 cups bread flour
- Switch to the dough hook and beat on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky.
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place the kneaded dough ball into the greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm place until the dough has nearly doubled (about 30 minutes).
- Divide the dough in two and shape into two loaves. Place the dough into two greased 9×5 loaf pans. Cover the pans and put them in a warm place, allowing the dough to rise again white the oven is preheating to 350ºF.
- If you want a golden brown top, whisk together one egg and a tablespoon of water. Brush this egg wash over the top of the loaves before baking.
- Bake the bread (uncovered) for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are dry and firm, with a golden brown color. Remove the bread from the pans and allow the loaves to cool on a wire rack.
Video
Notes
To make mashed potatoes, peel about 2 Russet potatoes, then cut them into chunks. Boil them in a small saucepan until they are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain off any water (or save the potato water to use in this recipe!). Mash the potatoes and allow them to cool before adding to the recipe.
I have not tried this bread with gluten-free flours.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
This recipe makes two loaves, about 20 slices total (10 per loaf). The servings and nutrition are based on 1 slice per serving. Ingredient brands vary, so the nutrition numbers are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 69mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.4mg
This is such an easy recipe and the bread is delicious. Two of us ate a loaf soon after it cooled enough to cut. The 2nd loaf is safely sliced and bagged in the freezer!!
It is perfect! Just delicious! I am sold!
I made this recipe today to use up some leftover mashed potatoes. It is a good recipe. Next time I would reduce the sugar- 1/4 cup makes for a very sweet loaf, I think 2tbsp would be perfect. I also thought the yield seemed shy for two standard loaf pans- my dough was 1050 grams, I used 800 to make a large loaf and turned 250 into 5 rolls I baked in a small cast iron skillet. Overall, great recipe!
This recipe is perfect. I have made it twice now. The first time, I used regular yeast and AP flour. This time, I used active yeast and bread flour and it made a huge difference! Just enjoyed a BLT on the freshly baked bread and it is heaven. Definitely going to be a staple recipe for me, especially considering the price of groceries these days! Thank you so much!
Don’t hesitate to use this recipe! I just made the best bread I’ve ever tasted! (And yes, you can use instant potatoes!)
I made the dough in my bread machine. My only alteration was potato water instead of plain water. I made one pullman loaf and one cinnamon swirl loaf. Both loaves were soft and delicious! Half a cup of leftover mashed potatoes will no longer be thrown out…thank you for the recipe!
Made this recipe before, made the most fluffy bread! Absolutely wonderful!
I have made potato bread for years. I save my potato water when I boil my potatoes and use it instead of water in the recipe. It makes beautiful bread. Next time I will use some of the potatoes as well.
Would uou have to make mashed potatoes if using potato flakes or could you just add the flakes and a little more butter snd milk??
Loved this, tried it once with whole wheat flour and was sill delightfully fluffy!!
Would like to make this in my breadmaker! I have RA and can’t knead homemade bread dough.
This bread is the best bread ever!!!! So soft and fluffy! A keeper. My go to bread recipe now.
Great recipe. I added a TBL of extra melted butter because I was having trouble with raw ingredients at the bottom of my mixing bowl. Yummy for the tummy!
Family says this is best bread ever– making it again this afternoon.
I tried this recipe and it was gorgeous! I added shredded cheddar cheese to the dough mixture so it came out smelling so so good!!!